First Grade Frenzy

It’s that time of the year! Halloween is creeping into the classroom! We love our Halloween themed literacy centers!

Hellllloooooooo!!!!

I wanted to take a few moments reintroduce myself! I have a few new followers and I have been MIA!

❤️ My name is Leslie! My Greek name is Marianthi! I have been teaching for 27 years! I got my first teaching post at 24 years old!

❤️ I have taught kindergarten, grade one and grade two! I’m teaching grade one this year! My heart is always with the firsties!

❤️ My father said to love what you do, and you will never work a day in your life! He’s right! I love teaching!

❤️ I have 4 children (15, 13, 10 and 8 years old!)

❤️ I’m a mommy to two fur babies! Jax and Bailey!!!

❤️ We are a huge hockey family!! I’m either at the rink or arena!!! All year round!

❤️ I’m a crafter! Crafting is my jam!!!!

It’s not easy being a mommy to 4 amazing kids and teaching full time! Follow me on my journey as I embark on a new school year! It will be crazy but I would not have it any other way!

Aliens are invading our classroom! Watch out! These cuties are taking over!

We just made our snow kids! So much fun on a fun Friday morning!

Remembering and honouring our Veterans. Lest we forget. Thank you for the beautiful inspiration.

Who wants to be princess… when you can be a villain for a day? Sometimes being bad … is so GOOD!!!

Today was the first day back for many students around the province of Quebec. I teach grade one in Laval, just a bit north of Montreal. We are in the red zone.

It was my first day back in my classroom since February 28. It felt like an eternity ago. We had to prep the students belongings for distribution to parents. We also had to arrange our classrooms for a social-distancing learning environment.

I have had so many mixed emotions about this, since the schools were shut down. I have been playing the whole waiting game. Then, the announcement was made two weeks ago. I kept hoping that the welcoming date for the students would get pushed back... until the last day of school ... which is June 22. Hell No! We are scheduled to welcome them back on May 25. That could change by then, if we can’t get control of this situation, now!

Our high school buildings are closed until September. We are only allowed to have 10-15 students in an elementary school classroom. If we run out of space in our school, the senior classes can be housed at the high school. Attendance is voluntary. Not many parents in our school will be sending their children. I think 40-50 students out of 320 would be attending.

Today was surreal. It is so hard to explain how I felt. I walked into my classroom and saw their beautiful snow globe stories, and their snowman paintings on the walls. We were just getting into our St. Patrick’s day theme. Shamrocks everywhere! Then we closed! When I was able to finally put my bags down, my heart fell to my feet . I held it together, until I saw some of the pictures that my students made for me on my reading table. Then, the tears started and I could NOT hold them back. They just flowed and flowed. I have kept it in for so long, that everything just came out.

I’m scared and I am worried. I love what I do. Being a teacher is just who I am. I love the hugs and the silly dances. I love teaching and everything about being a first grade teacher. However..... this environment that we are creating .... it doesn’t feel natural. It doesn’t feel right. I know that we don’t have a choice, but the way that I teach, and the way that so many others teach ...just won’t be the same. Not for a long time!

No more morning bins. No more literacy and math centers. No more gym. No more device sharing. Recess at scattered times. Students in the same room, in their designated area, for most of the day. It’s a lot to take in. It’s very sad.

I am sure that we could find a way, to still make teaching and learning fun. That’s what we do!As teachers, we often have to turn lemons into lemonade.....But this is going to be a tough one!

I don’t want to sound like I am complaining. I’m not.The essential workers have been on the clock and working, since this nightmare has started.They have been risking their lives and their safety for all of us. We are blessed. We truly are.

I’m just nervous and scared. That’s all. I’m mourning my life before Covid. I mourning my teaching before Covid. I feel like I took everything for granted, before all of this.

My husband has been amazing and supportive. My friends have been my rock. I’m touched to have all of you reaching out to me, and sending me hearts and amazing messages. I’m just scared. I think it’s ok to feel like this. I know that I am not the only one.

I just want to wake up from this nightmare. I want it over, NOW!

I want to see the rainbows and hug my beautiful students again, soon!

Bon courage mes amies. Ça va bien aller! ❤️❤️❤️

Happy Halloween!!!

Have you ever heard of Storytime with Ryan and Craig? These two guys are simply amazing!!! There are a variety of picture book and chapter book titles. They completely get all of my students attention, with their dynamic attitudes and voices!! Love them!

READ ALOUDS — STORYTIME WITH RYAN & CRAIG

Have you ever heard of Vooks? Your students will love watching their favourite storybooks come to life! Teachers can get a free year-long subscription! Check it out!

Vooks - Storybooks Brought to Life Watch animated books online or on your favorite devices. Streaming service designed for ages 2-8. Free Trial!

Trying to keep it all into perspective. We need to have realistic expectations, and stop micromanaging every step that our children take! I know that I’m guilty of this!

How to raise successful kids -- without over-parenting By loading kids with high expectations and micromanaging their lives at every turn, parents aren't actually helping. At least, that's how Julie Lythcott-Haims sees it. With passion and wry humor, the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford makes the case for parents to stop defining their children's suc...

This is why we teach! I always ask my own children to write letters to their teachers. It validates them, and shows how much we appreciate them!

30 Teacher Thank-You Notes That Make It All Worthwhile - WeAreTeachers These teacher thank you notes will make you break out the tissues (and laugh a little). Hey I'm not crying, you're crying!